smith



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.) 1

1. S. SMITH, Sr.

ELEVATOR. No. 310,738. lPatented Jan. 13, 1885.

WITWESSES" 9C (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. I. S. SMITH, Sr.

-BLEVAT0R- 'Patented Jan. 18, 1885. Ema/YQ lUNTTTn dTaTns FaTmTTCri-Ton.

ISRAEL S. SMITIL-SR., CF VASHINGTCN, DISTRICT CF COLUMBIA.

ELEVATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 310,738, dated January13, 1885.

Application filed May 17, 1884.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Beit known that L-IsnAnL S. SMITH, Sr., a citizen of the United States,residing at Vashington, in the District of Columbia, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Elevators, of which the followingis a specification, referencebeinghad therein to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure I is a vertical section through a shaft orelevator-frame, showing my improved locking devices applied to the cageunlocked. Fig. 2 is a detail showing the locking devices locked, as theywould appear if the suspension rope or chain should break, or if theattendant desires to stop the cage or platform. Fig. 3 is a bottom viewof the locking devices and guideways, looking upward. Fig. 4s is adetail perspective showing the gripping-head of of one of thelocking-levers thrown into locking position. Fig. 5 is a modification ofthe device for positively throwing the grippinglevers into action.

The object of this invention is to combine with an elevator certainnovel and simple means, whereby the sudden falling of the cage orplatform is effectually prevented should the elevating rope or cablebreak.`

Irior to my invention several attempts have been made to preventaccident in the event of the cable breaking. Such devices have beenpractically tried and failed to accomplish the result sought, mainly,for the reason that they are complicated and require many supplementaldevices, which of themselves are liable to break and to derangement. Itwill be shown from what follows that I dispense with toothed racks andpawls, and that I employ compound locking-levers lwhich are of suchpeculiar construction that each external lever, arm, or head will make acompound or double grip when the elevating-rope is slackcned or broken,and consequently said devices rigidly and positively arrest and hold thecage or platform at or near the position where the accident happens.

The nature of my invention consists in certain novel and simplecontrivances which are applied to the cage or platform of a goods orpassenger elevator and to the guides or upright ways thereof, wherebyIrender it impossible that serious accidents can happen should theelevator rope, cable, or chain break, or should there be any derangementof the :machinery which actuates the elevator, as

(No model.)

will be fully understood from the following description, when taken inconnection with the annexed drawings.

Before describing my improved elevator I premise by stating that it isnot only applicable to store-houses, hotels, and the United States 6obuildings; but it is also applicable to mines or underground conduits,where it may be safely used for elevating coal and other subterraneousproducts.

In the annexed drawings, A A designate the uprights for the cage B,which are constructed with guides C, having a double L- groove, as shownin Fig. 3 of the drawings. These double L-grooved guides or ways Cconstitue one of the essential features of my 7o invention. These guidesconsist of lips a a and back bearings, b b, which maybe made of metal orwood and faced with metal, or they may be of wood entire. The cage lorplatform is suspended by a rope, cable, or chain which in the usualmanner is passed over a pulley, preferably grooved, at the highest pointof the shaft. This cage may be constructed as shown-that is to say, itmay be housed in, except at its front cud, which is left open for 8o thepurpose of entrance and exit at the different iioors.

It is obvious that I may use a simple platform. This platform isprovided with guides c c', which bear against the outer portions of 85the guides C C and keep the car steady in its upward and downwardmovements.

Cn the bottom ofthe floor of my elevator I employ the followingcontrivances, to wit: F F designate two levers, which may be acted 9o onby springs S S, and which have their fulcra at cl d in bearings c e,rigidly secured to the said floor and guided thereby. The inner endsv ofthese levers F F are pivotally connected by a link, F', through which aperforation is made 9 5 for the purpose of receiving the bifurcation ofa lever, G. This lever G has its fulcrum at f on a boss or lug dependingfrom the floor of the cab, cage, or platform above described. This leverG is actuated by a cranked lever, Ioo I, to the arm g of which isattached a helical spring, II, alsohaving its bearings on the bottomofthe floor of the cage. The longest arm of the lever G is attached by aloop, lz', (or in any other suitable manner,) to a cord or chain, J, orits equivalent, having a spring, O, the action of which will bepresently described, to the suspension rope or cable J, which latter isused for raising or lowering the platform cage. y I

It Will be seen that the lever G serves a double purpose. It servespositively as the means for holding the locking-heads free from theirbearings, and it also serves,in connection with the angular lever andthe spring aforesaid, to retract said locking-heads, and to cause themto be brought into position for locking, thus positively arresting thecar, cage, or platform in its descent upon breaking of the hoisting ropeor cable.

I now describe the locking-heads which are used in combination with thedouble L-shaped grooved guides on the uprights. I employ T- shapeddevicesz'zon each outer end of thelevers, which I prefer to make ofsteel. These devices z' i are so constructed that they present angulargripping-edges adapted to engage one corner or edge with the back of theoverlapping lip, and the other corner or edge with the front of theoverlapping lip of the guiding groove. Posterior or back of thecruciform guide is a shoulder, a, which is a re-enforce of the grippingdevice or shoulder of the lever. Now,it will be seen that the edges orangles of the cross-piece, and also the edges of the shoulder abovereferred to, will bind and make a positive bite should the suspensionrope or cable break.

The car or elevator is suspended as follows: To thetop of the cab issecured two bars hav, ing extensions J passing down and secured rigidlyto its sides. Between these bars is the vertically-slotted block K,through whicha cross-bolt, 7c, passes, securing it to the bars. To theblock K is attached one or more cables, J, and upon its under side isattached the cord J, passing over pulley n', that is fast to the car,and over pulley m, that is fast to bar L. Upon the cables J breakng,theblock will descend, thereby slacking up the cord and permitting thesprings to throw the gripping devices into action.

I also provide means by which the attendant can throw thegripping-levers into action at pleasure. The following is thedescription of the said device: To the lever G near its outer end Iattach a rod, M, which passes up through the bottom of the Vcarorplatform, which in turn is attached to a lever thatmay be pivoted tothe side of car at a convenient height for the hand, or it may bearranged to be operated by the foot of the attendant. .The cord J isattached to the lever G by means of a spring, O. This has justsufficient tension to keep the cord taut when the gripping-levers areheld out of contact with the guides, and allowing the cord to slack upand operate the gripping-levers. The spring 0 also permits the lever Gto be moved-by the hand or foot device in the car or platform when thecord and cables are taut.

I am aware of Patent No. 91,775, to Scott, in which a grooved guide andgripping-levers actuated by a weight are used, and con- Sequently lay noclaim to such combination,

my device being much more simple and effective, as well as being lessexpensive in construction and economy of space by the use of springs,thus doing away with cumbersome weights and obviating the necessity ofadditional room in the well for such weights.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. An elevator having groovedguides for the cage or platform thereof, in combination withspring-actuated friction biting-levers, as specified.

2. An elevator having extension-levers spring actuated, and constructed,as described, to bite the guideways, substantially as described.

3. The combination of spring-actuated levers having gripping angularjaws with a guide having flanged lips, substantially as described.

4. The combination, in au elevator, of grooved guides andspring-actuated togglelevers, substantially as described.

5. The combination of spring-actuated levers having cruciform end andback shoulders with the double-L uprights, substantially as described.

6. rIhe combination, with a platform in an elevator, of the doublecompound grippinglevers, theguides therefor, a spring connected to alever, which vis again connected to the main suspension rope or cable,as specified.

7. The spring-actuated levers connected by a link, as described, incombination with the suspension-rope, the cage and the cruciform headsand the shoulders on said levers, substantially as described.

8. The combination of the spring-actuated gripping-levers connected by alink, the intermediate lever, and devices substantially as described,for actuating said levers, substantially as described. I K

9. In an elevator, the means, substantially as herein described, forchecking `or positively arresting a car, cage, cab, or platform shouldthe rope or cable break, consisting in spring-actuated compoundcruciform locking-` levers and double-L-shaped guides, substantially asdescribed.

10. The combination, with the double gripping-levers, of aspring-actuated lever for keeping them out of action, and va leverattached to the spring-actuated lever in the car for positively throwingthem into action at pleasure, substantially as shownI and described.

ll. The combination, with the lever G, of the cord J spring O, and therod M, whereby the lever G may be automatically or positively operated,thereby causing the levers to impinge and arrest the car, cage,orplatform, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses: ISRAEL S. SMITH, SR.

CHARLEs E. CARTER, GEORGE S. NEWTON.

IOO

IIO

